Many knitted garments such as sweaters and pants are formed by two or more tubular knitted fabrics being knitted respectively and joined together at a part thereof. Some knitted garments have a so-called gore(s) at joining parts of the tubular knitted fabrics (e.g. at side parts of the sweater, at a crotch of the pants, etc.).
By forming the gores at the joining parts of the tubular knitted fabrics, the knitted garment formed from plane knitted fabrics is shaped in three dimensions, whereby the knitted garment comfortable to wear and suit one's figure is obtained.
The applicant of this application already proposed a joining method for joining together the tubular knitted fabrics so that the gores can be formed at the joining parts thereof (disclosed by Patent Document 1). The Patent Document 1 discloses the joining method when a gore portion of a front knitted fabric and a gore portion of a back knitted fabric which are equal in length to each other. Specifically, front knitted fabric parts of the tubular knitted fabrics and back knitted fabric parts of the same are respectively overlapped with each other so that loops of their gore portions located adjacent each other with respect to the boundary between the front knitted fabric part and the back knitted fabric part are overlapped with each other and loops of their gore portions located far away from each other with respect to the boundary are overlapped with each other; and then are subjected to the bind-off process, thereby forming the gores at the joining portions of the tubular knitted fabrics. This knitting method for the knitted fabrics having the gores enabled to provide the knitwear of a high freedom of body movement.
Patent Document 1: Pamphlet of International Publication No. 01/88243